Putting the YOU in UserCon2018

Ready to put the YOU in UserCon2018? That’s my way of saying, I hope I’ll see your smiling faces soon in Austin, Texas! Our annual user group conference, this year’s event has been in the planning stages all year. I’m excited by the topics in the different tracks—every session has been driven by customer input, and many of you will be taking to the stage.

Why User Conferences Rock

I love user conferences that are relevant to my role and attend several each year. They’re definitely important to my success and continued professional growth. Here’s why—along with how UserCon2018 will help you rock the year ahead:

You Get to Learn from People Just Like You

It’s one thing for somebody who knows about the software to talk about best practices. But something completely different—and in my opinion, better—to talk with someone who is in the same role as you, using the software every day, dealing with the same challenges and opportunities. I recently attended a user conference and the biggest benefit was the time I spent listening and learning from peers who are trying to accomplish the same goals as I am.

At UserCon2018, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in our best practices session, and hear from your colleagues around the country. It will be the perfect time to ask questions, and to get peer suggestions on how to overcome obstacles you may be facing. What a great opportunity to talk about your specific concerns with someone who has already tackled the same issues.

Work on the Business—While You’re Away from the Business

Are you always caught up in day-to-day tasks, never able to find the time to build out better processes? (I have my hand raised!) It’s easy to get stuck in the mentality of this is how we’ve always done it. It’s especially easy to get stuck there when you can’t find time to get past the work to explore a better way of doing the work.

Taking time to step out of our regular routine can spark creativity and give you the energy and excitement for change. Implementing change is never easy. But learning new strategies from your peers will lead to new excitement about what that change can mean to your office. Add those things together, and you may just find yourself on an upswing where you’ll realize, how we’ve always done it needs to change right.now.

Networking, Built-In!

Sometimes, networking is the most overlooked part of a user conference. And sometimes, networking is the last thing we want to do, ever. (If you fall into THAT camp, check out this piece we did a few years ago on networking for those who hate networking.) But networking is crucial. It helps us grow, keeps us sane, and spurs creativity. I get it, it can be hard to network beyond our own offices—how often has making time for networking become just another thing you didn’t get to on your to-do list? User conferences make networking easy, because you know you have similar interests.

UserCon2018 is the perfect place for you to network. You’ll be in the same room with colleagues who are in the same position as you, using similar systems as yours, from institutions like yours. These connections are priceless. Last year at UserCon, countless customers gained connections they continue to benefit from today. When I attend any type of user conference, I always set a goal for the number of people I will network with—which includes leaving with their contact information. I’ve leveraged many connections I’ve made at user conferences over the years, reaching out to them for help with strategy, advice, and more. Consider setting a similar goal when you register for UserCon2018 and attend our event.

Iron Sharpens Iron

Each of you is the reason why we are here. And we really hope to see YOU at UserCon2018. Our purpose at CampusLogic is to help schools change lives. It’s one of the reasons we firmly believe that a day spent talking about best practices, learning from one another, networking, and growing in our leadership roles is so important. If you believe in the old saying, “iron sharpens iron,” then come join us at UserCon2018—and spend a day with the sharpest people in student financial services.

About the Author

A veteran in the emerging Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) industry, Chrisy joined CampusLogic in early 2016 after leading customer success teams at Mozy and Infusionsoft. She holds a master’s degree in Leadership from Grand Canyon University, where she also served as an enrollment advisor.
Our Customer Success guru, Chrisy drives strategies that ensure customers get the most value from their investment—and have the personal support they need.